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Mario Lopez in Talks to Make His WWE Debut

Alex Laybourne
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WWE have a long history of celebrity wrestlers stepping between the ropes, and the newest name linked to making their WWE debut is none other than Mario Lopez. 

The former Saved by the Bell star is already 47 years old, but has kept himself in great shape. He also has experience in wrestling dating back to his high-school days. This fundamental knowledge would certainly put him at an advantage and point towards his ability to really engage with an opponent. 

Mario Lopez was talking to WWE Legend Jerry the King Lawler on his own On With Mario Lopez podcast he mentioned that the WWE had already made an approach to have him appear.

“Jerry, they’re trying to get me to do something in the ring. For my kids, I think I wanna do it, get in there as a storyline.

“I’m almost gonna be 48 – I’m in pretty good shape though, and athletic. Any suggestions, any advice I need to know when I get in there. By the way, I grew up wrestling too!”

Mario Lopez Has a High School Wrestling Background

Mario Lopez is a long term fan of sports entertainment and for those that grew up in the early nineties we all remember the successful exploits of AC Slater and the Bayside High wrestling team.

Jerry Lawler was quick to encourage Lopez to get between the ropes. He referenced the recent WWE run for rapper Bad Bunny. The music star put in arguably the best celebrity performance ever seen on the biggest stage of them all. 

Lopez was also quick to jump on the bunny, laying down the challenge. “I wanna wrestle Bad Bunny! I wanna body slam and suplex Bad Bunny!”

Someone should make sure Lopez knows that they are fighting words. Could we be seeing the start of the first celebrity vs celebrity WWE feud?

Tessa Blanchard & Daga In Talks To Sign With AEW

Michael Reichlin
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Tessa Blanchard and husband Daga are in talks to sign with All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The negotiations have been ongoing for over a month. One source close to the situation tells us that it’s “all but a formality” until they are signed.

Blanchard is a former Impact World Champion. She is widely considered one of the most talented female competitors on the open market.

She’s weathered her share of controversies, including claims that she is difficult to work with and allegations of racism, which she adamantly denied. AEW officials have discussed the idea of acknowledging Tessa Blanchard’s prior ‘issues’ on television and presenting her with a redemption storyline of sorts.

https://twitter.com/Tess_Blanchard/status/1387220024872603652

Blanchard’s father, the legendary Tully Blanchard, is currently part of AEW as a member of MJF’s faction, The Pinnacle.

Daga has been wrestling for Mexico’s Lucha Libre AAA promotion. He was the AAA Latin American Champion up until this past week, when he vacated the belt.

Scott D’Amore Comments On Recently Released WWE Stars Coming To Impact

Chris Stephens
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Last year when WWE released 20+ talents in April, Impact built up their Slammiversary PPV around who would be debuting or returning to the company. Promotional materials for this year’s Slammiversary event carry a similar feel.

Scott D’Amore recently appeared on the Wrestling Perspectives podcast and implied that negotiations with some recently released WWE talent might have already begun.

“I think you look at what we did at Slammiversary last year with all the buzz, and I think there’s an opportunity here. There’s some great talent and they’ve got this hiccup in their career. We’ve all been there probably where we’ve been let go and they’ve got the opportunity to do like so many of the people did last year and forge new opportunities and different and in some ways better opportunities for themselves,” D’Amore said (transcriptions via Fightful).

Scott D’Amore on Samoa Joe

With Samoa Joe now a free agent, D’Amore made specific mention of when he wanted to bring Joe to TNA in 2005.

“In 2005 when I got put in charge of the creative for TNA I knew there was one guy that I wanted, and that was Samoa Joe, and I worked very hard getting on the phone because WWE wanted him as well. Myself and Mike Tenay, who’s an amazing, amazing dude that I know some of you have met and got to be around, we just knew Joe was different and special and we wanted to have him there. That was 2005, we were able to get him and do some pretty damn cool stuff. I got mad respect for Samoa Joe and would always love an opportunity to work with him again, both because of his unbelievable talent and his unique charisma and also because he’s just a good dude.”

Scott D’Amore On Peyton Royce, Billie Kay, and Chelsea Green

D’Amore also hinted that some conversations may have already started.

“So many of that other talent. you look at it, whether it’s Billie Kay and Peyton Royce, whether it’s Chelsea Green, you know, there’s just so much there and I just got to say, I think there’s a chance that some talent’s going to move around and you’re just going to have to stay tuned and be careful what I say, but maybe some conversations have started.”

NBA Playoffs To Disrupt AEW Dynamite Schedule Next Month

Chris Stephens
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The NBA Playoffs get going on May 22nd, 2021 and several of the games will air on TNT. The episode of AEW Dynamite originally scheduled for May 26th, 2021 will not air in the promotion’s usual time slot due to the basketball schedule.

According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the show scheduled for the 26th will now take place on Friday, May 28th. Additionally, the show will air at 10 PM est rather than at 8 PM est. AEW’s next PPV is scheduled to be Double or Nothing on May 30th, 2021. This means the delayed show on the 28th will be the go-home show for the event.

AEW was also forced to move several shows last summer to make way for the NBA Playoffs. The NBA was forced into a bubble for the end of the season and playoffs last year, months after the season would have normally already ended.

Tony Khan On AEW’s Deal With Turner For Wednesday Nights

Turner Sports also recently signed a deal with the NHL. The deal is not expected to impact AEW programming much, however. Tony Khan recently spoke about AEW’s deal with Turner for Wednesday nights during an appearance on Busted Open Radio.

“I know Wednesday night is our slot and our home,” he said. “I’m thrilled with our partnership with TNT. It’s the lifeblood of our company and our primary revenue source and t’s the way most fans get exposed to AEW and see our show. And tonight and every night that we do Dynamite, for a lot of wrestling fans, it’s a really important night of the week.”

“We have a contract with over two and a half years left for Wednesday nights in this slot. And if there was ever an opportunity to move or if there was a deal to be had, I would consider it. If we did something, it would have to be a really good deal for AEW and it would have to make sense for us. As it stands right now, that is the spot we’re in. If we move, I would certainly consider a deal if there was something in it for AEW.”

Impact Results (4/29): Kenny Omega & Good Brothers Attack

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling this week was the first show since Kenny Omega defeated Rich Swann to become the new Impact World Champion. Omega would appear on this show but Scott D’Amore had to go to great lengths to ensure the new champion would fulfill his commitments.

The full replay is available on Impact Plus even for non-subscribers.

Impact Wrestling 4/29 Quick results:

  1. Under Siege Qualifier
    Chris Bey defeated Jake Something
  2. W. Morrissey defeated Sam Beale
  3. Taylor Wilde defeated Kimber Lee
  4. X-Division Championship
    Josh Alexander (c) defeated Ace Austin
  5. Under Siege Qualifier
    Matt Cardona defeated Brian Myers
  6. Under Siege Qualifier
    Sami Callihan vs Eddie Edwards – No Contest

Scott D’Amore Reveals How Kenny Omega’s Next Challenger Will Be Determined

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKIypVMvjF0

Scott D’Amore cut an in-ring promo to start this week’s show. He noted that because of the “winner take all” aspect to Omega vs Swann at Rebellion, there was no rematch clause put in the contract. A new challenger will have to be determined to face Omega. D’Amore then announced there will be a 6-way match at Under Siege to determine who will challenge the champion next. 3 qualifying matches would take place on this week’s show and 3 on next week’s show. Without much delay, Jake Something was chosen to face the returning Chris Bey in the first qualifier.

Qualifying Matches:

  • Chris Bey vs Jake Something (this week)
  • Brian Myers vs Matt Cardona (this week)
  • Eddie Edwards vs Sami Callihan (this week)
  • James Storm vs Moose (next week)
  • Rhino vs Chris Sabin (next week)
  • Trey Miguel vs Rohit Raju (next week)

Chris Bey Qualifies For Under Siege

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz7qkaz3P6M

Something and Bey had a back-and-forth match with Bey using his speed and “finesse” against Something’s size and strength. The ending came when Rohit Raju grabbed at Something’s foot from ringside. The momentary distraction allowed Bey to roll-up Something for the pin. This could lead to some type of angle between Something and Raju as Bey now has a chance to qualify for a title shot against Kenny Omega.

W. Morrissey Debuts On AXS TV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0InwUJrz94

After making his promotional debut at Rebellion, W. Morrissey (FKA Big Cass) made his debut on AXS TV this week. Before his match against Sam Beale, Morrissey cut a promo about how the fans don’t really know him and they don’t really know the wrestlers in the back. He continued to say the wrestlers in the back are all bad people and so is he. The difference is, he’s at least honest about being a bad guy.

Morrissey then made quick work of his opponent in a complete squash match. Later in the show, Willie Mack would challenge him to a match at Under Siege. Morrissey pinned Mack in 8-man tag action at Rebellion.

Taylor Wilde Not Interested In Teaming With Tenille Dashwood

Taylor Wilde has returned to Impact Wrestling and she’s looking to “Main Stage Impact-alooza” as she said this week. Tenille Dashwood and Kaleb interrupted her backstage segment and Dashwood implied that the two should form a tag-team. Wilde, however, is interested in going for singles gold and not teaming with Dashwood.

Wilde would go on to defeat Kimber Lee in singles action later in the show. Susan was at ringside and did everything she could to help her ally gain the advantage but it was all for not. Wilde made Lee submit to a deathlock.

After the match, Susan attacked and the heels had a 2-on-1 advantage on Wilde. Dashwood then made the save for Wilde. So it’s possible these two could end up teaming together even if that’s not what Wilde wants.

Josh Alexander Retains X-Division Championship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pl7zJ4gfL0

Josh Alexander won the title at Rebellion in a 3-way match that also involved TJP. This week, he’d have to face the former 2x champion Ace Austin in singles action. The end of the match came shortly after Madman Fulton had attempted to interfere on the outside. The distraction allowed Austin a momentary burst of offence but Alexander countered a Divine Intervention attempt and the locked in the Ankle Lock submission for the win.

Matt Cardona Avenges Loss At Rebellion, Defeats Brian Myers To Qualify For Under Siege

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XjVDGGxeNc

Brian Myers defeated Matt Cardona at Rebellion after taking advantage of his opponent’s injured knee. This week, Cardona attempted to gain the advantage by attacking Myers before the match. Myers would counter this by continuing to focus on Cardona’s leg throughout the match. Cardona struggled to get sustained offence as his former tag partner continued to focus on his injured limb. Finally, as Myers appeared to be setting Cardona up for the Roster Cut Lariat, Cardona countered it with Radio Silence and got the 3-count.

El Phantasmo Coming To Impact Wrestling

With the Forbidden Door getting wider and easier to walk through every week, NJPW’s El Phantasmo was advertised as coming to Impact Wrestling on this week’s show. ELP is a 2x IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and has won the Super J-Cup tournament two years in a row in 2019 and 2020.

Kenny Omega, Don Callis & The Good Brothers Interfere In The Main Event

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNbzkeh5a8E

As the match between Eddie Edwards and Sami Callihan was ongoing in the main event, Kenny Omega, Don Callis, Karl Anderson, and Doc Gallows did a run-in.

Throughout the night, Scott D’Amore had said that if Omega didn’t appear personally live on the show, he’d be stripped of the title. Omega made it at the last second to interfere in the main event. Omega was about to give Callihan a V-Trigger when FinJuice made the save. The heels still had the numbers advantage, however, and were able to fight off the tag champs. With the ring cleared, Don Callis cut a promo praising Kenny Omega to end the show.

Coming Up In Impact Wrestling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NM2DTRHwm0

The following matches are upcoming in Impact Wrestling.

Next week:

  • James Storm vs Moose
  • Rhino vs Chris Sabin
  • Trey Miguel vs Rohit Raju
  • El Phantasmo vs TBA

Under Siege (May 15th)

  • Kenny Omega & The Good Brothers vs Eddie Edwards & Finjuice
  • Knockouts Tag Team Championships
    Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering (c) vs Fire N Flava
  • 6-Way #1 Contenders Match
    Chris Bey vs Matt Cardona vs TBD vs TBD vs TBD vs TBD

NJPW’s El Phantasmo Headed To Impact Next Week

Chris Stephens
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On last night’s edition of Impact Wrestling, a vignette for NJPW’s El Phantasmo was shown to preview the 34-year-old’s pending arrival in the promotion. ELP going to Impact comes on the heels of NJPW’s David Finlay and Juice Robinson doing the same. FinJuice are the current Impact Wrestling tag-team champions and wore the title bouts to the ring during a recent NJPW tour.

Phantasmo is a former 2x IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion. He’s also won the Super J-Cup tournament two years in a row in 2019 and 2020.

ELP is from Vancouver and began his training alongside other British Columbia bred wrestlers, Kyle O’Reilly and WWE’s Bollywood Boyz (aka the Singh Brothers).

Following the announcement of his forthcoming debut for Impact, Phantasmo named over a dozen wrestlers he wants to work with.

https://twitter.com/elpwrestling/status/1388110725894180866

Forbidden No More

NJPW President Takami Ohbari recently commented on his company’s new approach to talent-sharing with other promotions:

“I will say this until I’m blue in the face: this is a star driven business, and the wrestlers are the focus,” Ohbari said in an interview with NJPW1972.com. “So if our wrestlers say ‘I want to wrestle that guy’ ‘I want to test myself against that guy’ ‘I want to show that I’m better than that guy’. Then it becomes our job as a company to do what we can to back them, make it happen and make it successful.”

NJPW President Reveals Position On Talent-Sharing With Other Companies

Chris Stephens
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Takami Ohbari took over from Harold Meij has President of New Japan Pro Wrestling in October. The change in management led to much speculation that NJPW could reverse its position on talent-sharing and working with other wrestling companies.

During a recent interview with NJPW1972.com, Ohbari clarified the company’s current position on the matter is to support wrestlers who wish to work for other companies.

“I will say this until I’m blue in the face: this is a star driven business, and the wrestlers are the focus,” Ohbari said. “So if our wrestlers say ‘I want to wrestle that guy’ ‘I want to test myself against that guy’ ‘I want to show that I’m better than that guy’. Then it becomes our job as a company to do what we can to back them, make it happen and make it successful.”

New Japan Strong

NJPW Strong
NJPW Strong

Ohbari continued to talk about the door is open for more American talent to wrestle for NJPW on New Japan STRONG, which airs Fridays on the New Japan World streaming service.

If there is someone who wants to come in and the fans want to see it, NJPW will work to make it happen. “When you look at things overseas right now, especially in the US, there are a lot of wrestlers who want to come to Japan, and can’t, right? Even if you get into the country, you have to quarantine. But STRONG is there for those guys.”

He added, “That is authentic, genuine New Japan Pro-Wrestling. If you want to be in NJPW, and you’re good enough, this door is open: come in, come do what you can do, and we’ll make sure the world can watch it. That goes for the fans too; if there’s a match you guys want to see, we’ll do what we can to make it happen.”

Ohbari’s comments come on the heels of several “Forbidden Door” type moves in recent months. NJPW’s David Finlay & Juice Robinson have been performing for Impact and are the promotion’s current tag champions. Yuji Nagata will be appearing on AEW Dynamite to face Jon Moxley next week for the IWGP United States title as well.

The full interview can be read here.

W Morrissey Debuts At Impact On AXS TV (Video)

Michael Reichlin
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W Morrissey made his Impact on AXS TV debut this week. The man formerly known as WWE Superstar Big Cass is the newest member of the Impact roster.

Morrissey came out and cut an impassioned promo on the show. Morrissey said, “You may recognize this face, but you do not know who I am.” Wrestling fans don’t know who any of the wrestlers are. They’re not heroes, they do not love you and they do not care about you. These are very bad people.

“This entire industry is filled with bad people and the only difference between me and all of them is I’m not afraid to admit it.”

He then proceeded to demolish Sam Beale.

Morrissey looks to be in the best shape of his career. He is a big signing and will be a serious threat to anyone who stands in his way.

Check out W Morrissey’s debut:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0InwUJrz94

Impact Under Siege Main Event Announced (May 15th)

Michael Reichlin
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The main event is set for the upcoming Impact Under Siege special event: Kenny Omega team with the Good Brothers against Eddie Edwards and FinJuice.

The inter-promotional attraction features talent from Impact, AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Omega is the reigning Impact World Champion and also holds the AEW World Championship. NJPW stars FinJuice are the Impact tag team champions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNbzkeh5a8E

We’ll also see a 6-man #1 contender’s match to determine the next challenger to Kenny Omega. Chris Bey and Matt Cardona will face 4 more competitors determined by qualifying matches taking place over the net few weeks.

Check back for updates on the full match card as additional matches are announced.

Impact Under Siege takes place Saturday, May 15th. It airs live on the Impact Plus App. Visit ImpactWrestling.com for subscription details.

Upcoming Impact Special Events:

  • May 15: Under Siege | IMPACT Plus
  • June 12: Against All Odds | IMPACT Plus
  • July: Slammiversary | Pay-Per-View
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO31Vtkw9q0

Daniel Bryan Heaps Praise on ‘Innovative’ Kenny Omega

Alex Laybourne
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WWE superstar Daniel Bryan is going to be fighting for his career this week on Smackdown. Yet, it wasn’t Roman Reigns he was heaping praise on during his recent podcast interview for My Mom’s Basement.

During their 30-minute chat Daniel Bryan covered a range of topics, including lauding praise on current AEW and IMPACT world champion Kenny Omega.

“He looks at wrestling differently than anybody else.” Bryan started. “With Kenny Omega, there’s no previous evolution point. It’s just these completely new things that have entered his head that he’s daring to try.”

The Best Bout Machine caught wind of Daniel Bryan’s complimentary remarks. Naturally, he agreed and said Bryan “gets it.”

Bryan Danielson vs. Kenny Omega?

Kenny Omega and Daniel Bryan are wrestling fans to their core. Both have held multiple titles around the world, and years ago, just as their careers were getting started, they locked up in the ring. During stints with Ring of Honor the pair fought three times. There can be no denying that a fourth match-up between them would be a main event match without a doubt.

Daniel Bryan’s comments have interesting timing. When you think he could be kayfabe retired after Friday night and has mentioned in recent interviews how he might step back from full-time competition.

It is also interesting to note that in the same interview, Bryan went on to champion the notion that WWE should open their minds and allow wrestlers to fight for other promotions while under contract.

These are separate points made by a man who has earned the right to share his opinions. However, the thought of seeing Brian Danielson vs Kenny Omega in an AEW ring at some point down the line is enough to excite any wrestling fan.

AEW Dynamite Falls To 889,000 Viewers, 0.33 Demo (4/28)

Michael Reichlin
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AEW Dynamite viewership took a major hit this week after a strong start running unopposed on Wednesday nights.

The April 28th edition of AEW Dynamite on TNT averaged 889,000 viewers. The show did a 0.33 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic to finish #10 on cable. The data comes courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily.

Dynamite viewership was down significantly after drawing viewership above 1.1 million the past two weeks. The show went up against US President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address to Congress and the subsequent coverage.

Digging into the demographics, AEW’s numbers were down across the board. The demographic that was hit the hardest was Adults 50+, which was down 23%.

AEW has Blood and Guts scheduled for next week, which should spike a big number and bring things comfortably back above the 1 million mark.

Wednesday’s show featured FTW Champion Brian Cage getting a surprise win over Hangman Page, Penta El Zero M getting a win over Orange Cassidy, an appearance from AEW/Impact World Champion Kenny Omega, a face-to-face showdown between the Inner Circle and the Pinnacle, Darby Allin retaining the TNT Championship over Dark Order member 10 and much more.

Check out our AEW Dynamite Results & Takeaways (4/28).

Konosuke Takeshita Calls Out AEW Top Talent For His Return

Alex Laybourne
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Konosuke Takeshita was impressive during his recent visit to AEW. The Japanese talent was an unknown entity to everybody. However, he is a superstar of some repute back in his homeland. He has held close to every title in the DDT promotion including their Openweight belt.

Talking in a recent press conference, Takeshita spoke about making his debut for the company and wrestling with a roster and a crowd who had little to no idea who he was.

“To be appreciated at that time was what gave me the most confidence. That kind of environment is what I think was different. But I really drew motivation from it. I felt the hunger to perform the most.”

Konosuke Takeshita only had three matches with AEW, one on each of their Dark shows, following a debut at their first-ever house show. Fighting alongside AEW Champion Kenny Omega, he held his own and left wrestling fans eager to see more.

Takeshita went on to mention that he was eager to return to AEW and has already signalled out two potentially huge matches that he would like to have upon his return.

While he featured as one of Kenny Omega’s boys during his first run, the current AEW and IMPACT champion was the first name on his list of potential opponents. This was closely followed by another wrestling legend in Chris Jericho.

“As for who I want to face, the one who has really had the most influence on me the last few years is Kenny Omega. Also, I had a little conversation with Chris Jericho.”

A match against either opponent would be a great chance for Konosuke Takeshita to demonstrate his true potential and win over the hearts of an entirely new continent of fans.

Braun Strowman Sets WWE Raw Record

Alex Laybourne
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Braun Strowman has been receiving more and more TV time recently. This past Monday on RAW he received more than his fair share when he set a brand new RAW record.

After reviewing close to a thousand different records, WWE has officially confirmed that the Monster Among Men is the first person to fight in a singles match, a tag-team match, and a handicap match all on the same night.

He first faced T-Bar and Mace in a handicap match. This then became a tag match alongside Drew McIntyre. A miscommunication would see them lose in a double count-out. A powerslam to McIntyre after the match ended set the pair on course for a main event singles match.

The three matches also capped a night of triple celebration for Braun, who not only set the record for matches on Raw but also picked up a win against McIntyre and in the process got himself into the championship match at Backlash. Not a bad night of work for the big man.

Braun has been a fan favourite ever since he began his singles push after leaving the Wyatt family. His inclusion in the main event at Backlash is surely not only well deserved but well-earned. Especially after everything he was put through in his recent storyline with Shane McMahon.

While there is a lot for Braun to do if he wants to walk out of Backlash with the gold, a match with Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre and Braun Strowman certainly has show-stealing potential.

Daniel Bryan: WWE Wrestlers Capable Of More Than ‘Sports Entertainment’

Chris Stephens
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Daniel Bryan recently took part in an interview with Barstool Sports. During the discussion, Bryan said he doesn’t feel wrestling fans understand how talented many WWE Superstars are.

“I don’t think people truly understand how great a lot of the WWE Superstars are because we don’t necessarily put on a pure wrestling product,” Bryan said. “We put on a sports entertainment product.”

Bryan would continue to say that if some WWE Superstars performed for a more wrestling-based company, fans would better appreciate their talent.

“If all of a sudden you saw Cesaro in New Japan for example like people would be like, ‘oh my god, this guy is the greatest!'”

He continued to use Otis as an example of someone else who would be perceived differently if they wrestled in NJPW.

“I think you put Otis in New Japan and people would be like ‘Holy cow! This guy is amazing!’ Like Vader from the 90s type of vibe. People think of him as the worm guy but it’s just a different presentation.”

Daniel Bryan on the Forbidden Door

Bryan was also asked about recently having expressed a desire to wrestle outside of WWE while still working for the company.

“I’ve brought it up to a lot of people and now is more than ever is a time when people are open to new ideas,” Bryan said during the interview. “I think I have made some headway whether any of it actually happens, who knows?”

He would continue to say that he feels WWE Superstars performing for other companies would be good for WWE and wrestling in general.

“I also think it would just be good for WWE and just wrestling in general. For people that are in the developmental system right now, for them to be able to go and learn in other places. I wouldn’t be the performer I am today if I hadn’t wrestled in Japan and not just like Japan where it’s like sports stuff but also like Butlins in the UK where it’s all comedy.”

The full interview can be viewed in the player below:

MLW Fusion Results (4/28): Tom Lawlor vs Marshall Von Erich

Chris Stephens
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MLW Fusion on 4/28 featured the Von Erichs and Team Filthy continuing their rivalry. Tom Lawlor would take on Marshall Von Erich in the main event. The full show is available in the player below:

MLW Fusion 4/28 Quick Results:

  1. Ross Von Erich defeated Dominic Garrini
  2. Bu Ku Dao defeated El Hijo de LA Park
  3. Tom Lawlor defeated Marshall Von Erich via referee stoppage

The Von Erichs Strike First Against Team Filthy

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1387545620186116097

The first match of the night also featured the rivalry between the Von Erichs and Team Filthy. Ross Von Erich picked up the victory over Dominic Garrini in just over 5 minutes after countering a suplex into a modified falcon arrow.

After the match, the two factions came to blows in the ring and had to be separated by referees.

Tom Lawlor Enlists Help From Tim Donaghy

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1387547372004290560

After Garrini’s loss to Ross Von Erich, Team Filthy got nervous. They were shown in the back discussing strategy and Lawlor called someone. It was later revealed that Lawlor called disgraced former NBA official, Tim Donaghy. Lawlor was later shown in the back giving an envelope to Donaghy.

Later in the show, Lawlor and Donaghy confronted Marshall Von Erich and forced him to take a drug test. When Von Erich returned with a full cup, however, he just tossed it back in Lawlor’s face instead.

Bu Ku Dao Picks Up Another Big Victory

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1387550005364416516

After a recent victory over his former mentor, TJP, Bu Ku Dao picked up another big win this week on Fusion. He picked up the victory over Azteca Underground’s El Hijo de LA Park after a diving flat-liner.

Immediately after the match ended, a worried-looking Salina de la Renta stormed away from the ring area. Later in the show, she was shown being shoved into the back of a car by a masked assailant, possibly an associate of “El Jefe.” She appeared to have escaped later, however.

https://twitter.com/salinadelarenta/status/1387775808744431618

Bu Ku Dao cut a promo after the match saying he hates TJP, that it’s his time now, and his victory this week was dedicated to his parents.

Lio Rush No Shows Media Event

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1387538366015676416

Middleweight champion Lio Rush no-showed a media event ahead of next week’s title match against former champion Myron Reed. MLW would later announce that he has been fined for missing the event.

Tom Lawlor Defeats Marshall Von Erich In The Main Event

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1387556179883270144

In the night’s main event, Marshall Von Erich and Tom Lawlor would go one-on-one. Von Erich came out with his knee taped up and Lawlor made a point to target the injured limb throughout the match. This included hitting Marshall with a wrench to the knee while the referee’s back was turned.

The match looked to be over around the 11-minute mark when Von Erich hit the Claw Slam but surprisingly, Lawlor kicked out. Shortly after, Lawlor locked in the leg lock and Marshall passed out due to pain. The ref called for the bell and Lawlor picked up a huge victory via referee stoppage.

Team Filthy and the Von Erichs continued the fight after the match with ACH coming out to help the brothers. The brawl would spill to the back and all around the arena to end the show.

Coming Up In MLW

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1384322923226439681

MLW’s upcoming schedule looks like this:

Saturday May 1st:

  • MLW debuts on VICE TV at 12 PM.

Wednesday, May 5th, 2021

  • MLW World Middleweight Championship
    Lio Rush (c) vs Myron Reed
  • Richard Holliday vs TBA

Wednesday, May 12th, 2021

  • MLW Underground Classic episode featuring Terry Funk vs Steve Corino

July 10th, 2021

  • MLW begins a new season with a show at Philadelphia’s famed 2300 Arena

Mauro Ranallo Says Impact Rebellion PPV “Reignited His Passion” For Wrestling

Chris Stephens
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Mauro Ranallo made his return to pro-wrestling commentary at Sunday’s Impact Rebellion pay-per-view. He called only the high-profile main event match between Kenny Omega and Rich Swann.

Ranallo talked about the experience recently on his Maurologue podcast. The former WWE and NXT broadcaster sounds like he had the time of his life.

“I’ve got to tell you, I had a blast working with D-Lo Brown and Matt Striker and what a match between AEW Champion Kenny Omega and Unified IMPACT belt-holder Rich Swann in a title-for-title mega main event,” Ranallo said.

There is no word on what the future might hold between Impact and Mauro. It sounds as though Ranallo appreciates how he was treated by the company, however. He said Rebellion “reignited his passion” for pro-wrestling.

“A big thank you to Scott D’Amore and all the people at IMPACT Wrestling for making me feel so welcome. It reminded me of, honestly, when I started my career at 16. Yeah, [Rebellion] reignited my passion for professional wrestling.”

Mauro Ranallo
Mauro Ranallo in Impact Wrestling

Ranallo called it a “very chill, relaxed atmosphere” with a supportive, respectful locker room. He has been in several pro wrestling locker rooms and feels that Impact has a great mix of decorated veterans and talented up-and-comers.

He also spoke about the positive reaction the PPV has garnered.

“Man, they had their working boots on last night. I thought everyone delivered and from what I understand, the pay-per-view is getting rave reviews, and even more importantly, the pay-per-view buy-rate should be one of the best that IMPACT Wrestling has done in some time. Yeah, it was great to see so many familiar faces and I do hope to get to do it again.”

A link to the full episode is here.

Triller Fight Club Would Be ‘Open’ To CM Punk Boxing Match

Jake Skudder
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Former WWE Superstar CM Punk has been (somewhat) linked with a potential return to combat sports. Whilst Punk is currently 0-2 in his MMA career, he has been named as a potential combatant in the Triller Fight Club arena.

Triller Fight Club and MLW broadcaster Ray Flores was recently interviewed by Wrestling INC. Flores stated that there’s a chance CM Punk could end up appearing on a Triller Fight Club card.

“I think if CM Punk wants to do it, I think that Triller would absolutely be open to it because he’s still a big name,” Flores said in the interview. “I mean now the fans are coming back. You go to arenas all over the world and you still here chants of CM Punk in different wrestling arenas all over.”

CM Punk in Triller?

“So if he wants to come back and he’s willing to go in there and train; then I think he absolutely can make the connection” Flores continued. “They’ll [Triller] definitely be open to it. Whether or not it will happen, it’s kind of like the perfect storm.”

Check out our latest video where we discuss the potential of Punk making his way to Triller Fight Club:

Lex Luger Talks Slamming Yokozuna On The USS Intrepid

Chris Stephens
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When Hulk Hogan departed the World Wrestling Federation in 1993, the company looked to create their next top babyface out of Lex Luger. The man formerly billed as The Narcissist was repacked as ‘Made in the USA’ Lex Luger and traversed the United States in the “Lex Express” tour bus.

On July 4th of that year, Luger shocked the world by slamming the mighty Yokozuna onboard the USS Intrepid battleship in New York City. This set the stage for their clash over the WWE Championship at that year’s SummerSlam.

Luger recently appeared on Sean Waltman’s “Pro Wrestling 4 Life” podcast and spoke about Yokozuna’s legendary bodyslam challenge.

“We did a walkthrough the week before,” Luger said about the event on the USS Intrepid. “They didn’t allow me to slam Yoko because they didn’t want him to get hurt. I’m the one lifting 627 pounds, and they didn’t want him to get hurt. So, I was so nervous.”

“I didn’t have good footing when I got in that ring there. I had cowboy boots on, and Yoko calmed me down and said, ‘Don’t worry, I got this. Just get a wide base.’ I just got a good base and helped turn him, but Yoko, as you know, I called The Dancing Bear. Those island boys, so athletic and born to wrestle.”

yoko slam

Luger continued, “[Yokozuna] literally almost slammed himself off of me getting a good base and helping turn him just a little bit. He was that agile. I was so relieved after that. He was unbelievable.”

The Total Package recalls this as one of the most memorable moments of his storied career. The crowd reaction, the Manhattan skyline in the background and the overall atmosphere made this an extremely unique segment.

Lex Luger On Not Winning The WWF Championship At SummerSlam 93

Luger only defeated Yokozuna by count-out at SummerSlam, however, and Yoko retained the title.

“With that big of a buildup, as a babyface, you almost have to come through because it lets all the air out of your tires,” Luger said regarding not winning the title at SummerSlam that year. “I enjoyed the opportunity obviously, and it was a great promotion, but a lot of people thought it might have been more beneficial if you’re going to still go with Yoko to have the babyface win and have Yoko win it right back or something. It might have been good. I agree with that for sure.”

Jon Moxley To Defend IWGP US Title Against Yuji Nagata on AEW Dynamite

Chris Stephens
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As announced last night, IWGP United States Champion Jon Moxley will defend his title on the May 12th edition of AEW Dynamite. His opponent will be Yuji Nagata.

This will be the second time Moxley has defended the title in the United States. He defeated KENTA on an episode of New Japan Strong from the company’s Los Angeles dojo recently as well.

IWGP United States Championship History

Moxley is one of only six wrestlers who have won the title since its inception in 2017. Kenny Omega became the inaugural champion that year after defeating Tomohiro Ishii in the finals of a tournament. Omega then dropped it to Jay White after a 210 day reign and 4 title defenses.

Moxley’s current title reign sits at 476 days as champion and 3 title defenses. His previous reign lasted 130 days but he was forced to vacate the belt due to injury before making any title defenses. Should he defeat Nagata on May 12th, Moxley will tie Omega for the most combined title defenses as well as the most title defenses in a single reign with 4. Juice Robinson and Jay White each had 3 successful title defenses during their respective reigns with the belt as well.

Mickie James Talks Ageism in WWE

Jake Skudder
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Former WWE Superstar Mickie James recently spoke on her GAW TV show about her release from the company and how she feels as though ‘ageism’ is a huge problem in WWE.

As James recently revealed, her belongings were sent back to her by the company via a ‘trash bag.’ This caused major uproar with fans and performers alike, with even Stephanie McMahon and Triple H having to apologise to the Women’s wrestling legend following the incident.

“I think the small-minded mentality sometimes leads to thoughtless behavior,” Mickie began on the GAW TV. “Especially for me, to constantly be presented as old, when I’m 41 and every single male champion has always been my same age or older and has been glorified for those reasons.”

Ageism in WWE

“As they should be, they’re f***king amazing” James was quick to mention. “But, why is it different for women? Or why is it different for me? Ageism is a real thing and it’s bulls***.”

“I’m truly grateful for the strides that we [as women] have made” Mickie James continued. “And to be seen as more equal. But it’s simply not true for every single person. Sometimes, that’s unfortunate.”

“I don’t know why I was made to feel like I didn’t deserve [the same treatment]” James concluded. “Because I did everything in my power to be a company girl, and for some reason I was made to feel like I didn’t deserve it.”

Do you want to see Mickie James appear in IMPACT, AEW or NWA? Let us know in the comments

AEW Dynamite Results (4/28): The Pinnacle & Inner Circle, TNT Title Match

Robert Lentini
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AEW Dynamite aired from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida. In addition to the takeaways below, it was announced that Jon Moxley will defend the IWGP U.S. Championship against Yuji Nagata on the May 12th edition of AEW Dynamite.

Dynamite Results (4/28)

  1. Brian Cage def. Hangman Page
  2. Young Bucks def. Matt & Mike Sydal
  3. Orange Cassidy def. Pentagon Jr.
  4. Kris Statlander def. Penelope Ford
  5. The Factory def. Nightmare Family
  6. Darby Allin def. 10 to retain the TNT Championship

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Brian Cage def. Hangman Page

Hangman Page faced Brian Cage in the first match of the night. Team Taz attacked Hangman during his entrance but Dark Order chased them away. Cage hit a Powerbomb on the entrance ramp and brought Page back to the ring.

Cage connected with a Belly to Belly Suplex and followed it up with a German Suplex for a near fall. Page battled back with a Suplex of his own for a two count. Hangman connected with a Moonsault outside the ring. Cage quickly battled back and hit a Buckle Bomb. Cage followed it up with he Drill Claw for the pinfall victory.

Young Bucks Picked Up A Win

The Young Bucks squared off with Matt & Mike Sydal tonight. Don Callis was on commentary for the match. Matt and Mike controlled the action early and isolated Matt Jackson in the ring. Sydal hit a Brainbuster and the Sydal bros followed it up with dueling Double Knees.

Matt Sydal hit Nick with a Hurricanrana for a near fall. Nick distracted the referee and Matt Jackson hit a low blow. Young Bucks then hit the BTE Trigger on Mike Sydal for the pinfall victory.

After the match, SCU came to the entrance ramp and said they are ready for a title shot. Christopher Daniels added that he wishes he was facing his friends and not whoever the Young Bucks have become now. SCU vowed to take the titles away from Young Bucks.

Orange Cassidy def. Pentagon Jr.

Orange Cassidy faced Pentagon Jr. tonight on Dynamite. Trent and Alex Abrahantes were ringside for the match. Pentagon prevented Orange from putting his hands in his pockets in the beginning of the match. Cassidy threw his sunglasses out of the ring and finally was able to get his hands in his pockets.

Pentagon withstood Cassidy’s weak kicks and planted him with a Backbreaker. Cassidy sent Pentagon out of the ring and went for a Suicide Dive but Penta countered with a slam. Cassidy hit a Crossbody but Penta shrugged it off and connected with a Brainbuster for a two count.

Cassidy hit Beach Break and went for the cover but Pentagon was able to kick out at two. Orange connected with a Diving DDT off the top rope but Abrahantes hopped on the microphone for a distraction. Cassidy dragged Abrahantes into the ring and Pentagon capitalized with a Piledriver for a near fall. Trent distracted Pentagon and Orange hit the Orange Punch for the pinfall victory.

Inner Circle & The Pinnacle Met Before Blood & Guts

Inner Circle and The Pinnacle had a parley tonight to promote their Blood & Guts match next week on Dynamite. Tony Schiavone welcomed the two factions to the ring and The Pinnacle had their own security team. Schiavone said that the team that will have the advantage in the Blood & Guts (WarGames) match will be determined by a coin toss.

Shawn Spears complained that they were lured into this match and should automatically get the advantage. Spears mocked Sammy Guevara for not wrestling in a while and said he planned to put him down at Blood & Guts. Sammy said Spears has been a failure in AEW and was a failure at the last place he worked as well.

Cash Wheeler claimed that Santana & Ortiz are soft and likely won’t make it out of Blood & Guts. Harwood added that he has no fear and is not afraid to die. Dax told Santana & Ortiz to hold their kids close before the match next week. Santana said that they have been locked in a cage before and wondered if the same were true for FTR.

MJF told everyone to keep things cool and said that without Chris Jericho there would be no AEW. MJF added that Jericho was their biggest draw and a bridge for the lapsed fan to get back into wrestling. MJF claimed that Jericho must be struggling with all that pressure and he will be happy to take it from him after he takes his spot.

Jericho told MJF that he was a prick for thinking he can just take a spot. Le Champion told MJF that he has to earn that spot and brought up MJF’s recent insults. Jericho noted that he was jerking the curtain at WCW when he was 25 but was also main eventing shows in Mexico & Japan. Jericho added that MJF will not break Inner Circle apart and that they are going to have to kill Inner Circle at Blood & Guts.

Moxley & Kingston Will Face Omega & Nakazawa Next Week

Kenny Omega instructed Michael Nakazawa to go the ring for a match against Eddie Kingston. Eddie wanted nothing to do with it and said he wanted to fight Kenny Omega. AEW Champion Kenny Omega came to the entrance ramp and said that is not how this works. Kingston beat Nakazawa down and threatened to break his ankle.

Omega told him to do so because Nakazawa knows what he signed up for. Jon Moxley interrupted and hurled Omega into the ring. Moxley choked out Omega as Kingston demanded a tag team match. Don Callis reluctantly agreed and it will be Moxley & Kingston versus Omega & Nakazawa next week.

Kris Statlander def. Penelope Ford

Penelope Ford faced Kris Statlander tonight. Kip Sabian & Orange Cassidy were ringside for the match. Statlander and Ford traded punches in the middle of the ring to begin the action. Statlander hit a Powerslam and Penelope retreated out of the ring. Kris set up for a Suicide Dive but opted to “boop” Penelope on the nose instead. Sabian distracted Statlander and Ford capitalized with a Knee Drop. Penelope followed it up with a German Suplex into the middle turnbuckle and then a Brainbuster for a two count. Statlander battled back and hit the Big Bang Theory for the pinfall victory.

The Factory def. Nightmare Family

Nightmare Family faced The Factory tonight. The Factory (QT Marshall, Nick Comoroto, Aaron Solow, Anthony Ogogo) showed up in a Nightmare Family bus. Dustin Rhodes, Lee Johnson, and Billy Gunn quickly went after them and a brawl broke out.

QT Marshall booted Billy Gunn in his injured ribs and Comoroto locked in a Bear Hug. Gunn escaped and tagged in Dustin. Dustin hit a shoulder tackle and tagged in Lee Johnson. Lee hit Solow with a Neckbreaker and a Blue Thunder Bomb but Nick Comoroto broke it up. Johnson took out QT and Comoroto with a Splash. Ogogo hit a couple cheap shots while the referee was distracted. QT tagged himself back in to pin Johnson.

After the match, Comoroto beat down Dustin Rhodes some more. Colten and Austin Gunn rushed the ring and QT retreated back to the bus. Comoroto and Solow brawled with Austin and Colten in the ring. Cody Rhodes showed up and attacked QT Marshall by the bus. Rhodes got QT in the Figure Four and Marshall tapped out. Rhodes will face QT Marshall next week.

Miro Attacked Kip Sabian

Kip Sabian went to talk to Miro backstage as Miro had been looking for him. Miro launched Sabian into a garage door and beat the hell out of him. Miro choked Kip with a chain before punching him in the face. Miro then slammed the door on Kip’s arm and said nobody is going to stop him from becoming champion. Miro then gave Kip a hug and forgave him.

https://twitter.com/tde_gif/status/1387582993657643015?s=20

Darby Allin Retained

Darby Allin put the TNT Championship on the line against Dark Order’s 10 in this week’s main event. Sting and Dark Order were ringside for the title match. 10 controlled the match early and backed Darby to the corner. Allin got 10 in a Headlock and delivered some punches to the head. Darby went for a Crossbody but 10 swatted him away. 10 hit a Spinebuster but Darby responded with a Stunner.

Allin applied an Armbar but 10 escaped. The action spilled out of the ring and Darby hit 10 & 5 with a Senton off the apron. Ethan Page interfered and hit Darby with a cheap shot while the referee was distracted. 10 went for the Full Nelson but Allin broke free with a few elbows to the face. 10 then applied a Bear Hug but Darby escaped by ripping away at 10’s mask.

Darby went for the Coffin Drop but 10 caught him. 10 locked in the Full Nelson this time in the ring. Allin kicked off the middle turnbuckle into a cover for the victory. Darby Allin is still the TNT Champion. After the match, Allin took off 10’s wrist band that read “Brodie” and held it up. 10 and Allin shared a hug before Dark Order exited. Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky then attacked Darby Allin and Sting. Lance Archer and 10 tried to make the save but Page and Scorpio Sky were able to escape after leaving Allin and Sting on the mat to close the show.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1387588180665319427?s=20

Complete Episode List For Dark Side of the Ring Season 3 Released

Chris Stephens
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Dark Side of the Ring Season 3 will begin airing on Thursday May 6th, 2021. The first episode will be on the life and career of Brian Pillman. A complete episode listing for the show’s 3rd season is now available.

Season 3 Topics

The official Dark Side of the Ring Twitter account lists the following topics for the upcoming season:

  • Brian Pillman (Premiere episode, May 6th)
  • Nick Gage
  • Collision in Korea (1995 WCW/NJPW event in North Korea)
  • Ultimate Warrior
  • Grizzly Smith
  • Dynamite Kid
  • Johnny K9 aka Bruiser Bedlam
  • The Steroid Trials (Vince McMahon’s 1994 trial)
  • FMW
  • The Plane Ride From Hell (Infamous WWE flight back from European tour in 2002)
  • Luna Vachon
  • XPW
  • Chris Kanyon

Dark Side Executive Producers & co-creators Jason Eisener and Evan Husney tell TheWrap, “With this epic, 14-episode season, we’ve had the opportunity to push the series to new heights and dig even deeper into a world that has captivated us our entire lives.”

They added, “We’re excited to unveil a season that encompasses a whole new spectrum of stories, ranging from legendary icons of the past, to contemporary snapshots from wrestling’s underground, to mind-blowing sagas overseas.”

Chris Jericho will serve as narrator once again for the series as he did in season 2.

Tony Khan Comments On AEW Dynamite’s Future On Wednesday Nights

Michael Reichlin
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AEW President Tony Khan has commented on potential scheduling conflict presented by TurnerSports signing a multi-year broadcasting deal with the National Hockey League (NHL).

The 7-year deal will see WarnerMedia-owned cable networks airing 72 regular-season games per year, as well as several games from the Stanley Cup finals.

With Dynamite airing on Wednesday nights on TNT, there’s been some speculation about whether or not AEW could face frequent preemptions or get moved to a different night entirely.

Tony Khan appeared on Busted Open Radio on Wednesday and addressed this very topic.

“I know Wednesday night is our slot and our home,” he began. “We’re in a great situation. I’m thrilled with our partnership with TNT. It’s the lifeblood of our company. It’s the primary revenue source and it’s the way most fans get exposed to AEW.”

“It Would Have To Be A Really Good Deal For AEW”

He said that Wednesday night is an important night for a lot of wrestling fans and he said he does not want people to worry about these kind of major changes. They have a contract with WarnerMedia that runs for another two and a half years plus.

“If there was ever an opportunity to move, or if there was a deal to be had, I would consider it. If we did something, it would have to be a really good deal for AEW.”

Based on these comments, it seems that AEW Dynamite is staying on Wednesday nights for the foreseeable future, but “money talks” and Tony Khan would be flexible if it was worth their while.

Check out Tony Khan’s comments on Busted Open in the tweet embedded below:

Jason Jordan Receives Significant Promotion Backstage In WWE

Chris Stephens
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Jason Jordan hasn’t wrestled a match since the Royal Rumble event in 2018. He underwent neck surgery that February and has never returned to the ring. Jordan has been working as a producer in WWE ever since. According to a recent report from PW Insider, he received a significant promotion recently.

Jordan has been promoted to the lead producer for both RAW and Smackdown. The 32-year-old will be taking over for duties formerly performed by John Laurinaitis. Jordan is expected to receive more responsibilities in his new role as well.

There was a big shake up in the talent relations department recently. Mark Carrano was let go following the Mickie James/trash bag incident. Laurinaitis now oversees the talent relations department, taking over for Carrano. Referee John Cone was briefly relieved of his duties in that department before the company changed course. He has since been bumped up to second in command of talent relations behind Laurinaitis.

Kurt Angle on Jason Jordan As His Storyline Son

Kurt Angle recently commented on his podcast about the storyline angle of Jordan being his son.

“They decided that I was going to have an illegitimate son and they weren’t sure who it was going to be and they decided to pick Jason over Chad and, you know, I’m not sure why. It might have been a politically correct move, but I was happy I was excited about it because Jason is a great talent and he was improving every week, his chops were improving, his work was improving. He was getting a lot better. He was on his way to main event status until he hurt his neck. That’s where the program ended and I was stuck high and dry without a partner for the next WrestleMania because that’s who I was going to wrestle was Jason.”

Harvey Wippleman Running For Political Office

Chris Stephens
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Bruno Lauer, better known to wrestling fans as Harvey Wippleman, is running for political office. The 55-year-old announced recently that he is running for Board of Aldermen in his hometown of Walls, Mississippi.

Lauer sent word to media that he is running in the election, absentee voting starts tomorrow for the June 8th election. A flyer for his campaign is below:

ezgif 6 420f5a6450da

Late last year, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson repaid Lauer for helping him out when he was just a teenager. The Rock purchased him a $30K truck.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CJeeGoNFYkU/?utm_source=ig_embed

In a recent interview with Slam Wrestling, the former “Downtown Bruno” spoke about how it was the Rock’s father, Rocky Johnson, who convinced him to become a manager.

“I was just a ring crew guy, but in the dressing room I was always teasing people and being a wise guy,” Lauer explains. “Rocky said, ‘Man, look at you. You’re a little bitty guy, running your mouth like that, you could make a good living being a manager.”

“One step led to another, and me and Jerry Lawler, who was one of my dearest friend in the world, got together in Hawaii when he was over there.”

“(Rocky) was one of my mentors, and Dwayne’s mother Ata and I were very close,” Lauer recalls. “In ’83, when I was in Hawaii, (Ata) was like a mother figure to me, and Dewey and I — I was a few years older than  him, but we basically grew up together.”

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